What’s selling at Sugar Snap Pea in Charleston, South Carolina.

When Zhenya Kuhne decided it was time for a change in 2009, she visited Charleston and knew within 24 hours that it was meant to be her new home. Packing up her life in Chicago and leaving her job at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Kuhne knew that she wanted to start her own business. She looked around Charleston, at what products and brands weren’t available in the local market, and then started Sugar Snap Pea, a destination for fun and fresh clothing downtown.

Since its opening in 2010, Sugar Snap Pea has expanded to include a second location in Mt. Pleasant, SC, and moved to a larger location on King Street. Kuhne spoke with Earnshaw’s about her store and what is most popular in it these days.–Lauren Fusilier 

Q: How would you describe your store?

A: Charleston residents are well traveled. They have lived and shopped other cities and when they return to Charleston they want that in their own city. Charleston allows Sugar Snap Pea to provide those items they may have seen elsewhere and enjoy them right at home. We love that our customers appreciate the unique products we search so hard to find for them. We are a local neighborhood store for locals and a must-visit store for tourists.

Q: Who is your typical customer?

A: The Sugar Snap Pea customer is a happy customer. They just found out they are expecting and have come in asking us to help them with the gender reveal outfit (there is something magical seeing that ultrasound and knowing what the couple is having, while they are beaming with excitement and anticipation). Our customer is a grandmother who has found the perfect birthday gift for her grandchild whom she’s flying out to see on the other side of the country. Our customer is a mom-tween shopping duo who just agreed on an outfit they both love. We love providing those small happiness moments to them.

Q: What are your best-sellers?

A: Charleston is a cosmopolitan city that is based in the South. My customers like style, but also don’t fall for a trend that’s bound to change in 20 minutes. We are a destination store for Tea Collection in both locations and that’s a good basic for my customers. We like to sprinkle brands like Anthem of the Ants, Siaomimi, Mim-Pi, Joah Love and Petit Bateau. Our boys love Junk Food tees and Urban Sunday bow ties. Because we are in the South, smocking is very prominent here. So we provide an option for a more casual look.

Q: Do you offer any in-store events?

A: We host loyalty events; private parties where a mom can be the host and invite her friends to have a little bit of a night out. Fundraisers for schools. We offer infant massage classes as well as annual Pictures with Santa. We are going into our fifth year, so we will be having a birthday celebration all year around.

Q: How has business been so far this year?

A: Business has grown for us, simply by relocating. We are now in a prime spot, with neighbors like J. Crew, Anthropologie and Louis Vuitton. We are right across from Charleston Place hotel, which is a gorgeous hotel that is always staying busy. Never fails–location, location, location.

Q: What are your hottest sellers right now?

A: We are getting more and more into the tween market. It’s a hard one because prices need to stay compatible with big box stores, but quality needs to be superior. Our accessories like Poppy Drops and Tegu are doing great. We found a line of mocs–Project Five–that people are happy to purchase. And because we are a clothing store, discovering new brands is a must.

Q: What keeps your customers coming back?

A: I don’t want customers to shop with me because they feel sorry that I’m a small retailer. I want them to shop with us because they are getting the best of the best. I think the retail trend is adapting to the recent restaurant industry changes. You see restaurant menus going from 10 pages to one. You know that the offering may be limited but everything will be amazing. That’s where we get to stand out and compete with the big retailers and online. We may not offer every dress in every color and every shape, but what we have selected was selected on purpose, with the customer in mind. Our products are soft to the touch, comfortable and safe. Sometimes seeing it in person will have a far greater impact than an online purchase. When you sprinkle fantastic customer service to all of the above, why would you go anywhere else?

Q: Is there anything you want to say about the store and your community?

A: When you walk into Sugar Snap Pea you will be warmly greeted by our amazing team members. They will genuinely want to know how your day is going and how they can help. They listen and make recommendations based on your requests versus just trying to sell you something. We’ve had many male customers who are not familiar with baby products tell us how easy it was to find what they were looking for. We’ve had grandmothers who weren’t sure if their grandchild would fit into something tell us what an amazing experience they’ve had with our team trying to make sure the outfit would be a perfect fit. Team members are not just employees to us but they are family. It’s a family that cares about how everyone is doing.

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: My job always changes and that’s what I love. Never getting stale is the best way to move forward.